Thursday, June 26, 2008

Sorry, Warren

A couple of years ago, I apologized to Warren Kinsella on this blog for something I wrote about the "Sponsorship Scandal". At the time, my wife was heading into law school, I was in grad school, and we really had neither the time nor the money to fight the long lawsuit Kinsella had initiated in response to a post I had written about him and sponsorship.I believed the Sponsorship Scandal was a political enterprise involving Jean Chretien, his chief of staff Jean Pelletier, public works minister David Dingwall and Dingwall's very political chief of staff, Warren Kinsella. I believed the ad agencies and the bureaucrats involved at Public Works were acting on behalf of their political masters.I even believed that after I made the apology.Now, our little family would be quite able to fend off any lawsuits. I'm on the faculty of a great university and my wife will soon be articling as a corporate litigator at Gowlings, Canada's biggest law firm.So what I am saying is, to coin a phrase, straight from the heart:Now I know I was wrong. I am honestly sorry.Coverage of the Sponsorship Scandal ruined my faith in Prime Minister Chretien, who I first met just after the 1984 leadership race and who, up to that point, I had admired. I believed he had been mean with his golf ball stunt, but, in light of today's ruling by the Federal Court, I can see how he (and I) would be enraged at being called "small town cheap" by a biased judge.I'd like to know the real story of the sponsorship scandal -- who was behind it, where the money went, why some big ad firms got a lot of money for very little work.Maybe Warren can tell me over that beer I owe him.

It would appear that Justice Max Teitelbaum is a bit of a fan of Monseiur Chretien...not exactly the most unbiased thing I've heard from a judge (h/t Halls of Macadamia):

http://www.ammsa.com/sweetgrass/topnews-Mar-2004.html

Justice Max Teitelbaum effusively welcomed the now retired political heavy-weight.

"Before you are asked to be sworn in, Mr. Chrétien, on behalf of the court, I would like to welcome you here. The court truly appreciates you taking the time and making the effort to be here," the judge said. "You may have been given a copy of my judgment as to why I requested that you be here on a motion made by Samson First Nation peoples. It's because of all you have done for this country as minister of Finance, I think, minister of Justice and, of course, minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. So thank you, sir, for coming."

Teitelbaum is listed as a deputy judge, with not much seniority. Any idea when he was appointed?

That's a nice gesture, Mark - and an equally nice gesture from WK. I can't wait for similar kind words from all the right-wing types who ripped Chretien a new one for all these years but have defended Muldoon to the heavens. But I know I better be prepared to wait, cos that ain't gonna happen ....